The Traffic Department has made it mandatory for instructors at driving schools to pass a theoretical and practical test before they can give driving lessons. With more stringent regulations in place, the Department aims to improve the quality and standard of driving lessons, Al Raya reported yesterday. Starting January 2014, only the newly certified instructors by the Traffic Department will be able to give driving lessons. Instructors who fail the theoretical exam, the first leg of the test, will not be able to move on to the practical. The theoretical part of the test would include questions on traffic law, violations, rules as well as traffic ethics. The practical part will focus on the driving abilities of the instructor, as well as his ability to easily communicate and train people. The instructor would also be tested on his ability to detect weaknesses of people who come to take driving lessons. The Arabic daily said that the theoretical tests have already been conducted and by the end of this year, all existing licenses of instructors will be cancelled and new ones will be issued next year. Adil Salim from Al Raya Driving School said this was a progressive step which will improve the standard of trainers and it will also have a positive impact on new drivers. He also said that this initiative should have been taken earlier. Hassan Nassar, Director of Training and Development at Al Raya, noted that the impact of this initiative will not be felt immediately by the community, but slowly people will see a change. Mohammad Zain from Al Khaleej Driving School said that the Traffic Department is addressing the issue of traffic from the roots, which begins with the trainers. The initiative will encourage the trainers to conduct more training sessions and organise workshops and lectures, he said. http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/qatar/258308-driving-instructors-must-pass-theory-and-practical-test.html

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